Val Ponciano is a New York based photographer specializing in fashion/editorial, beauty/commercial, and headshot photography.

Pinky Thumb had asked me to do a photo shoot for their jewelry for an ad campain. So, of course, I went ahead and said, SURE! Excited, I gathered my team together to plan the shoot. And within the next few days, we were thinking, should we do a high fashion shoot? Maybe we should go on location? What about a seasonal look? So many questions went around the table, but in the end we thought simple would be best. Because sometimes, you don't need a high fashion photo shoot with expensive lo ......

As a photographer, one of the key things you must learn is the power to control light. And the way to do this is through the use of light modifiers. Now, there are MANY different types being sold out there. From reflectors to softboxes to beauty dishes. There are so many ways to use light to your advantage. But because there is such a variety of modifiers, a common question always pops up and that is Where do I start? The simple answer: Buy what you can afford and be creative. The thing about ......

With the boom of Instagram, there has been a surge of photographers all over the world. Which means more pictures you can choose to see on the web. We go through so many through the day. But have you ever thought about why your eyes always stop on certain pictures while you just skip through others? It's just two people in front of a building or food on the table right? Well, true, but it's not always about what you're taking a picture of, but how you are taking a picture of the subject. Anybody ......

When you shoot events and weddings, you get to meet a lot of people who are very interested in photography. You get to share some amazing information with them and have a grand ol' time talking. You get to hear the funny stories that come along with the job, and you also get to hear the many questions that a lot of people love to ask photographers. Some of these questions simply tickle the funny bone in me because for many people who don't shoot for a living, they can't truly grasp the amount of ......

Nikon and Canon are always boasting about how powerful their cameras are and how very durable they are, thus the costs of owning one. Although I don't plan to drop or set mine on fire anytime soon, I'm glad the people at DigitalRev had the balls to show us what would happen if it were to actually happen. So kids, don't try this at home.